After obtaining the Golden Cicada bloodline, Jiang Chen immediately bestowed it upon the eight brothers of the Giant Stone Clan.
The eight brothers of the Giant Stone Clan initially looked down on the tiny Golden Cicada, finding it puny and stingy with every drop. But when Jiang Chen told them that this little Golden Cicada's bloodline could render them invulnerable to all poisons, their contempt was cast to the winds in an instant. Every last one of them beamed with delight.
The Giant Stone Clan had been extraordinarily powerful in the Ancient Desolation era, but beyond brute force in combat, their other attributes were lacking. Many Giant Stone Clan warriors would find themselves thrown into chaos by opponents who wielded unusual abilities.
And the use of poisons had always been something the Giant Stone Clan dreaded above all else. In the Ancient Desolation era, countless races had been adept at wielding toxins, and the Giant Stone Clan had suffered disproportionately because of it.
Now, hearing that absorbing and refining this Golden Cicada bloodline would make them immune to all poisons, how could the eight brothers not beam with joy?
Refining the Golden Cicada bloodline did not take very long.
Before long, all eight brothers had successfully refined the bloodline.
"Benefactor, so from now on, the eight of us will truly be immune to all poisons?" Da Shi still looked somewhat uneasy.
Jiang Chen smiled. "You don't trust me?"
Da Shi scratched his head and gave a simple, honest grin. "If the Benefactor says so, then it must be true."
"Rest easy. The Golden Cicada bloodline renders one virtually invulnerable to any poison under heaven." Jiang Chen deliberately did not speak in absolutes.
Though the Golden Cicada bloodline made one immune to poisons, every bloodline under heaven had its natural nemesis. No matter how formidable the Golden Cicada bloodline, it too had its counter.
Of course, Jiang Chen knew precisely what that counter was.
With the Golden Cicada bloodline, the eight brothers of the Giant Stone Clan would gain an enormous advantage in future battles. Their fighting style had always been straightforward and brutal—perceived as brave but lacking in cunning. The Golden Cicada bloodline protecting their bodies would serve as an excellent talisman. Ordinary poison-based tricks would hardly be effective against them anymore.
Jiang Chen began drawing up a battle plan.
…
At the border of the Glazed Glass King City, Elder Peng and Elder Mo of the Windcloud Sect had already spread an inescapable net, lying in wait for Jiang Chen's group to return from the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect.
Elder Peng and Elder Mo had not brought a large force, but every single one of their subordinates was an elite—loyal confidants of the Windcloud Sect whom they had brought over from Myriad Abyss Island.
"Elder Peng, Elder Mo, your subordinates have set up scouts at every key position. The moment Jiang Chen's group is spotted, we will detect them immediately."
A one-eyed man stepped forward and spoke with deep respect.
Elder Peng nodded with a smile. "Good. According to my calculations, that Jiang Chen and his people will rush back at full speed in two days at the soonest, three at the latest."
Elder Mo also nodded. "The boy is sentimental—that is his weakness."
Elder Peng chuckled. "Weakness or not, it hardly matters. He's merely a mundane youth, and his fortune has been largely expended reaching this point. The future of the Divine Abyss Continent will ultimately rest on the shoulders of Myriad Abyss Island."
The one-eyed man suddenly spoke up. "Elder Peng, what if Jiang Chen doesn't take this route?"
"This is the shortest path back to the Glazed Glass King City. If he doesn't take it, he'll have to make a massive detour. Speed is paramount in warfare—he can't afford to waste time on unnecessary detours. Right now, he probably wishes he could return to the Glazed Glass King City within minutes!" Elder Peng had clearly studied Jiang Chen closely, having gathered a great deal of intelligence on him and understood him thoroughly.
Elder Mo, however, said, "We must be prepared for that possibility."
"Elder Mo, even you don't believe Jiang Chen will come this way?" Elder Peng said with a grin. "I'll bet you that he will. When this boy hears the news, he will race back with the utmost urgency, and he will absolutely take this route. There won't be any surprises." Elder Peng appeared entirely confident.
Elder Mo shook his head. "No bets. I do think there's a ninety percent chance he'll pass through here. However, we must prepare for the ten percent."
Elder Peng's tone turned firm. "There won't be a ten percent."
He issued his orders. "Everyone, get ready. Prepare for the harvest. Remember—I want them taken alive. Our Sect Master is in dire need of personnel. These fellows from the human territories may be mediocre, but they represent the strongest batch of fighters the human domains currently possess. It would be a waste to kill them."
"Especially Jiang Chen—he must be kept alive at all costs! That boy still holds many secrets, and we need him to unlock them!"
Elder Peng repeated his instructions several times over.
Keeping Jiang Chen alive was absolutely not out of any sense of admiration on the Windcloud Sect's part. They coveted the things Jiang Chen carried. The inherited treasures were one matter—as long as they were on Jiang Chen's person, there was no risk of them escaping. But legendary pill recipes like the Emperor Transcendence Pill and the Pine Crane Pill could only be extracted through Jiang Chen's own lips. If they killed him outright, these miraculous formulas would very likely be lost forever.